Serving Seniorshttp://www.servingseniors.org
Mon, 21 May 2018 20:34:19 +0000en-UShourly157963047National Nutrition Month: Go Further with Foodhttp://www.servingseniors.org/national-nutrition-month-go-further-with-food/
http://www.servingseniors.org/national-nutrition-month-go-further-with-food/#respondTue, 27 Mar 2018 18:32:07 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12697Whether it was via a pyramid or plate diagram, most of us were taught that we should “eat the rainbow” every day in order to get the recommended daily amounts of vitamins, minerals and health benefits from our food. And most of us take for granted that we have easy access to fresh produce and […]

]]>Whether it was via a pyramid or plate diagram, most of us were taught that we should “eat the rainbow” every day in order to get the recommended daily amounts of vitamins, minerals and health benefits from our food. And most of us take for granted that we have easy access to fresh produce and balanced meals. We have options. We don’t think twice about the food choices at our fingertips.

Now imagine if you were living on just a few dollars a day. Would fresh produce or balanced meals be at the top of your list of concerns? Probably not. You’d likely be more worried about paying rent, affording medications, maybe getting to and from work or appointments. That’s the reality that many of our senior clients are living. Many of them can’t afford fresh foods or balanced meals. Our senior clients’ income, mostly in the form of Social Security, averages $950/month.

Access and Affordability

According to the Elder Index, developed by UCLA’s Center for Health Policy Research, a single senior in San Diego needs an income of $1,974/month to afford basic rent, food, health costs and transportation. By this calculation, 41% of San Diego seniors live below the Elder Index. With a population of 202,413 adults aged 62 above, San Diego is home to nearly 83,000 seniors who have to choose between paying rent and purchasing food every day.

With limited access to nutritious food, most seniors initially arrive at Serving Seniors suffering from malnourishment or chronic health conditions related to poor nutrition, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Health concerns, especially prolonged issues, reduce seniors’ quality of life and drive already-poor seniors even deeper into poverty, increasing their reliance on community-funded programs, as most are single or widowed with little or no familial support.

Helping Seniors Stay Healthy, One Meal at a Time

Fortunately, many of the chronic diseases older adults face are preventable through healthy eating. Since its founding in 1970, Serving Seniors has served more than 11 million nutritious meals, developed in partnership with a registered nutritionist and optimized for the nutritional needs of older adults, and has seen first-hand the beneficial effects of reliable access to healthy food. Between nine congregate dining sites and delivering daily meals to 500 homebound seniors, we serve nearly 2,000 meals daily, every day of the year.

The meals we serve accommodate a variety of dietary needs, including low-sodium and low-fat diets, and are often the only source of food for San Diego seniors who would otherwise go hungry. And the benefits of a healthy diet are profound: increased mental acuteness, resistance to illness and disease, faster recuperation after illness and medical procedures, higher energy levels and more.

So Much More Than Meals

Serving Seniors’ nutrition program provides much more than food and senior-specific nutrition education – it brings seniors, most of whom live alone, together for camaraderie. This socialization is invaluable to our clients. In almost every case, our seniors tell us that they keep coming to our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center for the companionship as much as the meals, and that the combination of friendship and healthy food has helped them remain healthy, active and independent. They join walking and hobby groups, take fitness classes, attend cooking demonstrations, play games, learn how to use computers and much more.

You (and Your Taxes) Benefit From Healthy Senior Neighbors, Too

Healthy people use fewer expensive public resources, such as ambulance transport and emergency room care. According to American Medical Response San Diego, the cost of an ambulance transport is about $1,800; Medicare pays only about $434 and Medi-Cal pays only $118. For roughly the same cost as an ambulance ride, Serving Seniors can feed a senior for an entire year. When nutritious food has been proven to be as important as medicine, especially for older adults, it makes financial sense to help our elder neighbors stay healthy in the first place. After all, as a supremely wise man once said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Please join us for a special evening! Serving Seniors’ President & CEO, Paul Downey, will give an update on the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, a panel of experts will discuss the future of aging well and what that means for you, plus we’ll hear directly from one of our senior clients on how our services changed their life.

There is no cost to attend but seating is limited and reservations are required.
Please RSVP by Friday, March 16 to 619.487.0701 or kaia.hill@servingseniors.org

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/celebrating-past-shaping-future/feed/112570Age is Not a Barrier to Learninghttp://www.servingseniors.org/age-not-barrier-learning/
http://www.servingseniors.org/age-not-barrier-learning/#respondFri, 23 Feb 2018 07:00:07 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12513This guest post is courtesy of Karen Weeks, elderwellness.net. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks; well, it’s a good thing you don’t walk on all fours! And despite the preconceived notion that older adults can’t learn new skills, science says otherwise. So, if you’re over 65 and want to play the […]

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks; well, it’s a good thing you don’t walk on all fours! And despite the preconceived notion that older adults can’t learn new skills, science says otherwise. So, if you’re over 65 and want to play the guitar, do the tango, or delve into the inner workings of technology, the only thing stopping you is… you.

From the Comfort of Home

When you want to learn something new, look no further than your PC, phone, or tablet. We’ve yet to find a skill that isn’t taught online. This means you can get down with modern dance from the privacy of your closed-curtain living room if that’s what you want. Or grab a group of your favorite folks and practice the downward dog right from your TV. Xfinity and many other major cable providers offer free or paid access to fitness classes On Demand.

Here are a few suggestions of the many different things you can learn from home:

Automobile History

Even if you’re already an enthusiast, this fascinating lecture collection from Stanford will give you a better understanding of how automobiles have shaped and been shaped by the last century.

Finance

Brought to you by Yale University, this YouTube course, which was first recorded in 2008 but continues to be a popular topic for students, will help you attain a deeper understanding of financial institutions and their role in civilized society.

Science and Food

You’ve probably never thought of your time in the kitchen as a science experiment but it is. This Harvard University video playlist will teach you what you need to know about the science behind everything from cheese to risotto to which culinary thickening agents are best for different cooking conditions.

Language

The Open Learning Initiative, sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University, offers open courses in languages including Arabic, French, Chinese, and Spanish. At time of publication, Elementary French I offers a free sample class with the option to upgrade for $10 to a self-guided independent learner full course.

Music

Equipboard, an online community centered on the tools and gear used by professional artists and industry influencers, notes that music education doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. The best online guitar lessons, according to the site, range from free to just over $30 per month.

Computer Programming

If you want to know what all the fuss is about where technology is concerned, consider taking an entry-level web or app coding class. LinkedIn is a great resource for developer courses and offers a free month trial and unlimited access to more than 6,000 courses for $25 per month.

First Aid

Having the crucial skills to offer assistance in case of an emergency is important for people of all ages. The American Red Cross offers online first-aid classes that will help you help your friends and family until first responders arrived.

Knitting

Maybe you’re already a knitter and want to learn how to dye your own yarn, or maybe you’ve never picked up a needle before. Either way, Craftsy.com has you covered with classes ranging from $10-$60. In the course of a day, you can learn to knit your own socks or create stunning designs to flatter any figure.

It doesn’t matter what you want to learn — there is a class for you just waiting on the World Wide Web. You don’t have to have extensive technical knowledge or a huge budget, but you do need a willingness to learn, the desire to better yourself, and occasionally, the patience to put up with a slow internet connection.

About Karen:

We’re never too old to learn a new skill. And I’m living proof of that! After I retired, I decided to learn how to design websites and created elderwellness.net. It’s certainly a work in progress, but it reminded me how fun and gratifying it can be to learn a new skill. Now, I’m hoping to spread the word. Winter, when it’s more difficult for many of us older folks to get out and about, is a great time to start learning a new skill, whether it’s online or with a group of friends.

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/age-not-barrier-learning/feed/012513Experience of a Lifetime Gala Sponsorshiphttp://www.servingseniors.org/experience-lifetime-gala-sponsorship/
http://www.servingseniors.org/experience-lifetime-gala-sponsorship/#respondFri, 09 Feb 2018 07:00:55 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12423Our annual gala, Experience of a Lifetime, is quickly approaching! Experience of a Lifetime is a very special evening that includes a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, wine grab, live auction, entertainment and more. Guests enjoy a night of fun and festivities while helping support the programs and services of Serving Seniors. We’re looking for gala […]

]]>Our annual gala, Experience of a Lifetime, is quickly approaching! Experience of a Lifetime is a very special evening that includes a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, wine grab, live auction, entertainment and more. Guests enjoy a night of fun and festivities while helping support the programs and services of Serving Seniors.

We’re looking for gala sponsors! Do you know anyone who might be interested? We’d love to meet them!

Why consider a sponsorship? Show your friends and colleagues a memorable evening, share your brand with hundreds of well-connected, affluent San Diegans and support a meaningful mission.

For more information about sponsorships, please contact Luke Dumas, Associate Director of Development, Corporate and Foundation Relations at luke.dumas@servingseniors.org.

What Your Ticket Purchase or Sponsorship Supports

Proceeds from Experience of a Lifetime support lifesaving programs and services that low-income seniors in San Diego rely on. Serving Seniors proudly provides our programs and services to our clients free of charge. By attending or supporting this memorable gala, you’ll be providing meals, healthcare, supportive services, senior-friendly housing and much more for nearly 5,000 seniors right here in San Diego.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/experience-lifetime-gala-sponsorship/feed/012423Invitation to Our Experience of a Lifetime Galahttp://www.servingseniors.org/invitation-experience-lifetime-gala/
http://www.servingseniors.org/invitation-experience-lifetime-gala/#respondFri, 02 Feb 2018 22:54:34 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12436Our annual gala, Experience of a Lifetime, is quickly approaching! Experience of a Lifetime is a very special evening that includes a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, wine grab, live auction, entertainment and more. Guests enjoy a night of fun and festivities while helping support the programs and services of Serving Seniors. We hope you can […]

]]>Our annual gala, Experience of a Lifetime, is quickly approaching! Experience of a Lifetime is a very special evening that includes a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, wine grab, live auction, entertainment and more. Guests enjoy a night of fun and festivities while helping support the programs and services of Serving Seniors.

We hope you can join us for this special evening on Thursday, May 3 at the elegant Del Mar Country Club.

Proceeds from Experience of a Lifetime support lifesaving programs and services that low-income seniors in San Diego rely on. Serving Seniors proudly provides our programs and services to our clients free of charge. By attending or supporting this memorable gala, you’ll be providing meals, healthcare, supportive services, senior-friendly housing and much more for nearly 5,000 seniors right here in San Diego.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/invitation-experience-lifetime-gala/feed/012436Advocacy 101 Webinarhttp://www.servingseniors.org/advocacy-101-webinar/
http://www.servingseniors.org/advocacy-101-webinar/#respondMon, 29 Jan 2018 21:04:29 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12383Serving Seniors presented an Advocacy 101 webinar last week! Our President and CEO, Paul Downey, presented to a room full of seniors at our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in San Diego, while the presentation was simultaneously broadcast to five other senior centers and communities across California. Attendees, in person and virtual, had […]

Our President and CEO, Paul Downey, presented to a room full of seniors at our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in San Diego, while the presentation was simultaneously broadcast to five other senior centers and communities across California. Attendees, in person and virtual, had lots of thoughtful questions and insights.

Webinar Topics Included:

Federal Poverty Level: what is it and how is it calculated?

California Elder Economic Security Index (Elder Index): what is it and how is it calculated?

What is advocacy?

Why should you be an advocate?

Types of advocacy

How to make your case

How to use statistics and facts to enhance your case

How to schedule a visit with an elected official, and what to cover during your visit

Current political topics and what you can do to be heard

Watch the recording right here:

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/advocacy-101-webinar/feed/012383What Serving Seniors is Doing About the Flu Outbreak in San Diegohttp://www.servingseniors.org/serving-seniors-flu-outbreak-san-diego/
http://www.servingseniors.org/serving-seniors-flu-outbreak-san-diego/#commentsFri, 12 Jan 2018 20:18:59 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12254The 2017-2018 flu season is being described as the deadliest flu season on record in San Diego, with more than 10,300 cases and 91 deaths reported so far. And it’s not just elderly people dying from flu-related complications, like pneumonia: in California, 27 people younger than the age of 65 have died this year, compared […]

]]>The 2017-2018 flu season is being described as the deadliest flu season on record in San Diego, with more than 10,300 cases and 91 deaths reported so far. And it’s not just elderly people dying from flu-related complications, like pneumonia: in California, 27 people younger than the age of 65 have died this year, compared to 4 last year.

With the number of flu-related deaths having doubled (from 45 to 91) in one week, County officials recommend that everyone get a flu shot. Officials report that 70% of flu-related deaths in San Diego were people who had not been vaccinated. The vaccine is 40% effective and more than 600,000 have been administered across the county this season.

The Flu and Seniors

It’s important that seniors protect themselves and not underestimate the seriousness of the flu, as it’s especially contagious and can be life-threatening, especially for older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and people with compromised immune systems.

According to the CDC, “people 65 years and older are at greater risk of serious complications from the flu compared to young, healthy adults because human immune defenses become weaker with age.” Flu shots are covered by Medicare.

Early detection is important for seniors, who are encouraged to seek medical treatment at the first sign of symptoms. If caught early, the flu can be treated with a prescription of antiviral medication, which helps shorten the duration and lessen the symptoms of the illness.

How Serving Seniors is Combating the Flu

Our nurse case management team has developed a pamphlet to educate clients and staff about the flu and how to prevent it, including effective hand washing.

Infection control and communicative disease training has been provided for staff.

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/serving-seniors-flu-outbreak-san-diego/feed/112254Thank You and Happy New Year!http://www.servingseniors.org/thank-happy-new-year/
http://www.servingseniors.org/thank-happy-new-year/#respondFri, 05 Jan 2018 21:01:26 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12185Friends, Thank you for your friendship and support throughout 2017. You made this past year better for nearly 5,000 low-income seniors right here in San Diego. I’m truly inspired by your generosity and deeply grateful for your support, and I hope you’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together for San Diego’s seniors. I’d like to […]

Thank you for your friendship and support throughout 2017. You made this past year better for nearly 5,000 low-income seniors right here in San Diego. I’m truly inspired by your generosity and deeply grateful for your support, and I hope you’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together for San Diego’s seniors.

I’d like to offer you a tour of our facilities so we can show you the inspiring outcomes that your support has facilitated. To arrange a tour please contact Lori Gremel, Chief Development and External Affairs Officer, at 619-487-0608 or lori.gremel@servingseniors.org.

On behalf of all the seniors whose lives you’ve improved, thank you.

Wishing you a joyous new year,

Paul Downey
President and CEO, Serving Seniors

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

Meals and Healthcare

Because of your support, seniors like Dennis have access to healthy, satisfying, culturally diverse meals 365 days a year.

Dennis, who has type 2 diabetes, says the meals, healthcare and supportive services he gets through Serving Seniors are essential to his health. Always ready with a smile and warm hello, Dennis visits our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center nearly every day.

Affordable Senior Housing

Because of your support, seniors like Rosalinda and Manuel have affordable, permanent, senior-friendly housing.

Before they moved into our City Heights residence, Rosie and Manuel lived in their motorhome, without reliable access to hot water. Now the couple visit our Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center regularly and do what they can to pay their good fortune forward, feeding the homeless and referring them to supportive services when possible.

Advocacy

Because of your support, we were able to provide hundreds of hepatitis A vaccinations to seniors and staff members across all of our locations, free of charge.

We were also able to provide our seniors, staff and visitors with hand washing stations throughout our buildings and teach them how to protect themselves and each other.

Transitional Housing Program for Homeless Seniors

Because of your support, seniors like Bruce can obtain stable housing and successful independent living through our Transitional Housing Program for Homeless Seniors.

Becoming homeless for the first time at age 67, Bruce has since completed the Transitional Housing Program, moved into a stunning apartment in the Talmadge area, and is advocating on behalf of homeless seniors.

Lifelong Learning

Because of your support, we’re able to provide more than 750 classes, programs and activities every year, including fitness and hobby groups.

Before she started participating in the walking group, Avelina needed a cane for stability. Now a regular and enthusiastic participant of both the walking and singing groups, this spunky lady encourages others to get (and keep) moving.

Here’s Avelina’s Senior Idol performance from August 2017, with no cane in sight:

]]>http://www.servingseniors.org/thank-happy-new-year/feed/012185Last Chance to Help Vulnerable Seniorshttp://www.servingseniors.org/last-chance-to-help-vulnerable-seniors/
http://www.servingseniors.org/last-chance-to-help-vulnerable-seniors/#respondFri, 29 Dec 2017 07:00:37 +0000http://www.servingseniors.org/?p=12127With just a few days left in 2017, we want to thank everyone who has donated this holiday season, and throughout the year. This year we had more seniors than ever before come to us for Christmas Day meals, and we were able to feed every single one of them, thanks to you. We were […]

]]>With just a few days left in 2017, we want to thank everyone who has donated this holiday season, and throughout the year. This year we had more seniors than ever before come to us for Christmas Day meals, and we were able to feed every single one of them, thanks to you.

We were able to nourish their bodies and their spirits, because of your support: the seniors enjoyed festive holiday meals, music and camaraderie. We’re proud to be able to provide meals and socialization opportunities, and help stave off holiday season loneliness for San Diego’s seniors.

An Uncertain Future

But our work isn’t done — with new legislation and an uncertain year ahead, we need your support more than ever. If you haven’t already made a holiday gift, please consider doing so now. The most common reason that our senior neighbors come to us is to receive a meal. No one is ever turned away, and we serve nearly 2,000 meals to more than 800 seniors every single day of the year.

Our senior neighbors face an unpredictable future, one that will likely present new challenges and force them to make more difficult decisions than ever before. In the spirit of the holidays, please make a donation to help us feed our senior clients, most of whom are already trying to survive on Social Security incomes of less than $1,000/month. Every contribution, however large or small, helps a senior in need.